All's Fair in Love and Birthdays
by UglyGreenJacket
Summary: A sweet continuation of Usagi's birthday from episodes 101 & 102. Pure, cavity inducing UsaMamo fluff and silliness ahead


_AN: After being a lover of Sailor Moon for nearly 20 years, I decided to take the plunge into writing UsaMamo fics, so even the fact that you clicked on this story and have made it to the end of this sentence means the world! With that being said, your feedback and reviews are ALWAYS greatly appreciated._

 _A HUGE GIGANTIC SHOUTY CAP "thank you" to my sweet friend, beta-mom, and constant encourager, floraone! She's the reason I had the courage to do this, so if you hate it, be sure to direct your attention her way ;)_

 _Oh, and despite many, many futile attempts, I don't own Sailor Moon….*sigh*_

A handsome young couple sat bathed in moonlight outside Hikawa Shrine. A comfortable silence hovered around them, as sounds of a screeching girl, angry that her attempts to sleep were being disrupted by the others in the room with her, drifted out to their ears.

"Thank God you ended up being my soulmate, Usako. I really dodged a bullet with Rei." The young man quipped to his petite girlfriend beside him.

Mamoru was joking, of course, but there was a sliver of truth in his statement, as an involuntary shudder coursed through him.

"Mamo-chan! How could you say that after everything that happened, today?! I was so...so awful to you! And then you were captured, and I put you in so much danger. I'm so sorry!" Usagi cried burying herself further into his embrace in an attempt to hide her distraught features. Mamoru couldn't help but chuckle at how upset she was about events that didn't matter to him. Had already been forgiven and forgotten.

The day had certainly taken its share of twists and turns. But no day with Tsukino Usagi was destined to be a boring one. She'd had such high hopes for this day, though. June 30th. Her 15th birthday, which just happened to be Usagi's very first with Mamoru as her boyfriend. Obviously, it was destined to be full of romance and roses and sunshine! Until it wasn't.

Usagi had forgotten the fact that she'd never told Mamoru when exactly her birthday was. A small oversight really! Men totally had an intuition about these things, right?! So, when he'd balked at buying her the most beautiful pair of glass slippers, she had reacted in a way that made her face crumple with the memory of it.

She had slapped her beloved's face in anger.

To Mamoru, it had simply been an overreaction to a the perceived hurt he had caused. Everyone had those occasionally, and his Usako felt so deeply that the action hadn't seemed all that strange to him. Not that she routinely went around hitting him, but he could feel her despair through their bond as she ran away from him.

To Usagi, it might as well have been known as "The Slap Heard Round the World." News stations would be reporting this. She'd be on the front page of the paper under the headline, "Worst Girlfriend Ever Slaps Boyfriend in Street." Surely, the police would be arriving any minute now to haul her away.

How could she have willingly hurt him? This sweet, beautiful man who had always protected her. And in his attempt to make things right, she had placed him in harm's way. He had nearly _died_ because of her! That thought cause another wail to escape her lips, muffled slightly by his shirt.

"Usa…" He began softly. "You're much too hard on yourself. There was no harm done. I'm fine, see?" Mamoru gave her his best toothpaste ad smile, and batted his eyelashes for added effect. He had expected this to bring forth a giggle from the girl, but instead she looked away, as if ashamed.

"I know you're fine _now._ But that's not the point! I hurt you on purpose. I...I...slapped you." She finished quietly, still not looking at him.

He took hold of her chin and moved her face to look at him. Usagi's eyes were still downcast, and he realized that no matter how many reassurances he whispered to her, his words weren't going to convince her that she was still the love of his life. That nothing she did would ever change that. Sometimes, Mamoru wondered if all that hair on her head acted like a barrier for common sense. Oh, well. If he couldn't find the right words to wipe away her doubts, he'd simply have to show her, instead.

In an instant, his lips had captured hers in what she could only later describe as a soul-crushing kiss. Usagi's eyes flew open in shock. But it wasn't everyday that you turn 15, and your boyfriend kisses you breathless. She got over her initial reaction rather quickly, responding with an equal fervor.

Mamoru smiled against her lips as she began to respond. He dipped her head back further to deepen the kiss, and wasn't surprised in the slightest when he felt her tongue run the length of his bottom lip. A low growl escaped from his throat. He loved how damn enthusiastic she was every time he kissed her.

Usagi's hands had moved from around his neck and snaked their way down to splay across his chest. Mamoru's found his own hands stroking the little bit of exposed skin near her hip. He had not so subtly grazed her breasts and he moved his hands down to settle at their current spot. She shivered.

They were both drowning. Fast.

And since Usagi had been the one to bring them back to the real world when he'd kissed her senseless in the back aisle of the bookstore, when she had innocently picked up a copy of the Kamasutra and asked him what it was about, it was his turn to pull them from the waves this time.

Mamoru enjoyed that they took turns keeping each other in check when they were in public settings. To him, it was exquisite validation of the simmering desire they each had for each other. A desire he couldn't wait to explore when there weren't four other nosy teenage girls just on the other side of the door. Why were they _always_ around?!

As Mamoru slowly pulled back and rained soft brushes of his lips all over her face, Usagi sighed in utter contentment. "Happy birthday, Usako."

"Mmm, you play dirty, Mamo-chan." She breathed out, eyes still closed with the sweetest smile on her face. "That wasn't fair and you know it."

With a smirk and a shrug of his shoulders, Mamoru pulled Usagi into his embrace, languishing in the feel of her closeness, and resting his chin in the space between her odangos.

Even though he could tell she was much more relaxed, there was still more he needed to say. "I love you, Tsukino Usagi the odango atama. Nothing can or ever will change that."

"I love you, too, Chiba Mamoru with the ugly green jacket. Nothing can or ever will make it attractive"

"Hey! We made a pact that I wouldn't tell a _soul_ about your whipped cream incident, and you'd leave my jacket ALONE."

"It's my birthday. I get to do what I want, and you have to accept it."

"After my birthday, we're going to revisit that rule." This comment finally elicited the giggle he'd been hoping for for quite some time. Another sweet silence settled between them.

Usagi moved her head to look up at her boyfriend. Mamoru took the moment to examine her face. She was truly fact was only enhanced by the moonlight that seemed to be shining only for its princess. His breath caught at the sight of her.

"Mamo-chan. I was terrified today. I thought I was going to lose you, again. But this time I wouldn't have had anyone to blame but myself. I hate that you're constantly in danger because of me."

The grin that graced Mamoru's face after her comment confused Usagi. His hands went to her face and gently stroked her cheeks. "Silly, bunny. Don't you know by now we're in this together?"

And finally, the weight of the world was lifted from her shoulders. He was right, of course. Curse that brain of his! She reminded herself to be annoyed with him later, when her senses weren't filled with his scent, and his eyes weren't staring into her soul, making her melt.

"Thank you, Mamo-chan. You're right. We're always stronger together. That's why everyone tries to pull us apart, huh?"

"Exactly." Mamoru bent down and pressed his forehead to hers. "Happy birthday, Usa. I'm incredibly grateful for your life, for it completely changed mine."

"Mamo-chan…" She whispered, as a deep blush graced her features. Then, with a certainty that made his heart soar, she spoke his favorite set of words. "I love you."

He kissed her nose, enjoying the way she crinkled her face at the gesture. "Ya know, Usako, if you were into the whole slapping thing, you could've just told me instead of showing me. It's kinky, but I'm not here to judge."

Her mouth fell open, as he winked at her. "MAMO-CHAN! YOU TAKE THAT BACK, RIGHT NOW!" She screeched.

"That's a great impression of Rei, Usako. The pitch, loudness, all of its spot on." And before she could react, he kissed her again.

He did, indeed, play dirty, but for some reason, neither of them could bring themselves to care.


End file.
